Rayon spinning bucket drive



Jul 4, 1933. v M RICHARDSON 1,917,158

RAYON SPINNING BUCKET DRIVE Filed Dec. 14. 1932 Fig. I..

: I r a! iiA i I Inventor: l'ienr'g M.Ricl-1a1-clson,

bg WM Hi S Attorney.

Patented July 4, 1933 s-rres PATENT OFFICE HENRY MT. RICHARDSON, F IVIARBLEHEAD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OE YORK RAYON SPINNING BUCKET DRIVE Application filed December 14, 1932. Serial N'o. 647,208.

The present invention relates to spinning buckets such as are used in the manufacture of rayon. Such buckets are driven by a vertical shaft electric motor, and in practice it is important that the bucket be capable of being readily removed and replaced on the shaft when the motor is not running and that it be firmly held on the shaft when the motor is running.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement for connecting a spinning bucket to a motor shaft which is simple in structure and eflicient in operation, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of a bucket drive embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, lindicates a rayon bucket having a hub or base 2. In the present instance, a bucket molded from spinnable fibres and an artificial resin is illustrated but this is only by way of example,

as my invention may be carried out in con nection with any suitable type of bucket. The driving shaft, for example, the shaft of an electric motor, is indicated at 3.

According to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, I provide a post 4 having a tapered opening 5 adapted to receive motor shaft 3, the post being rigidly attached to the motor shaft. Surrounding the post adjacent to its lower end and formed integral therewith is a flange or base 6 having a flat upper surface 7. Carried by flange 6 on its upper surface are a plurality of curved fingers 8 arranged in a circle and attached to the flange at one end only as is indicated at 9, the other end being free. The curved fingers may be formed by providing a ring slotted at spaced points as is indicated at 10 and then cut away adj acent to the surface '7 as is indicated at 11, leaving the portion 9 fixed to flange 6. By this arrangement, the fingers are capable of moving outward under the action of centrifugal force. To limit the amount which the fingers can move outward, the free end of each finger is made to overlap the fixed end of the adjacent finger. This result may be obtained advantageously by cutting slots 10 at an angle. as is shown in Fig. 2, thus providing at the free end of each finger a portion 12 which overlaps the fixed end of the adjacent finger. Post 4, flange 6 and fingers 8 may with advantage be formed from a suitable metal such as bronze.

Hub 2 is provided with a central opening 13 adapted to receive or fit over post 4 with a snug fit and with a surface 14 which seats on and engages'flat surface 7. Also hub 2 is provided with an annular groove or space 15 within which fingers 8 fit, the groove or space providing a wall surrounding the fingers and against which they are adapted to be moved by centrifugal force.

In use, the bucket may be. readily set on or removed from post 4 when the motor shaft is not running or is running at slow speed. When the bucket is in position on post 4 and the motor is started, the bucket is caused to rotate with the shaft due to frictional contact between hub 2 and post 4 and between surfaces 14 and 7. As the speed increases, fingers 8 are caused to move outward by centrifugal force and are forced tightly against the wall of groove 15, thus clamping the bucket to the shaft and effecting the driving of it at high speeds. When the bucket slows down, the fingers release automatically, permitting the bucket to be easily removed from post 4.

In case the motor shaft is rotated at high speed when the bucket is not in place, the free ends of fingers 8 will engage the fixed ends of the adjacent fingers to limit the outward movement under the action of centrifugal force.

By my invention, I provide a rayon bucket drive which is simple in structure, reliable in operation, and capable of being manufactured at low cost. It requires no special structure of the bucket beyond providing the. annular grooves 15 in the hub thereof.

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a rayon bucket having a hub provided with a central opening and an annular groove, of a driving member having a post which fits the central opening in the hub and a plurality of fingers which fit into said groove and are adapted to be forced against the wall thereof by centrifugal force when the bucket is rotating.

2. The combination with a rayon bucket 1 having a hub provided with a central opening and an annular groove, of a driving member having a post which fits the central opening in the hub, a flange on the post With which the hub engages, and a plurality of fingers on the flange which fit into said groove and are adapted to be forced against the Wall of the groove by centrifugal force when the bucket is rotating.

3. The combination with a rayon bucket havin a hub arovided with a central ooening and an annular groove, of a driving mem ber comprising a post which fits into said central opening in the hub, a flange on the post, and a ring of circumferentially extending-curved fingers each attached at one end to said flange, the other end being unattached, said fingers being adapted to fit into the groove in said hub.

The combination with a rayon bucket having a hub member provided with a central opening, of'a driving means comprising a post which fits into said central opening in the hub, a flange member on the post, and a ring of circumferentially extending curved fingers each attached. at one end to one of said members, the other end being unattached, said other'member being provided with an annular space in which said fingers are adapted to fit and which provides a wall against which said fingers are adapted to be moved by centrifugal force, and the free end of each finger overlapping the fixed end of the adjacent finger.

5. A driving member for a rayon bucket comprising a post, a flange on the post, and a ring of circumferentially extending curved fingers carried by one face of the flange, said fingers being fixed to the fiange at one end and free at the other end whereby they can move under the action of centrifugal force.

6. A driving member for a rayon bucket comprising a post, a flange on the post, and a ring of curved fingers carried by one face of the flange, said fingers being fixed to the flange at one end and free at the other end, the iiree end oi each finger overlapping the fixed end of the adjacent finger.

7. The combination with a rayon bucket having a hub member provided with a central opening, of a. drivin means comprising a post which fits into said central opening in the hub member, a flange member on the post, and a ring of circumi erentially exteud ing curved fingers each attached at one end to one of said members, the other end being unattached, said other member being provided with a space into which said fingers are adapted to fit and which provides a Wall against which said fingers are adapted to be moved by centrifugal force.

8. A driving member for a rayon bucket comprising a base and a ring of circumter entially extending curved fingers carried by the base, said fingers being fixed to the. base at one end and free at the other end-whereby they an more under the action of centrit ugal force.

In witness whereof, l have hereto set my hand.

HENRY M. RICHARDSON. 

